The office air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and disinfectant, a grim backdrop for the officers who shuffled into the morning briefing. "Okay, everyone, line up. I'll give you your positions directly today," Mr. Gates stated, his voice a low rumble that cut through the low murmur. This was unusual; normally, the day's assignments were posted on a bulletin board, and the deviation made a cold knot form in Mona O'Connor's stomach.
She looked up from her computer toward the group, standing with a sense of guarded purpose. A young recruit, Harry Carter, raised his hand with an innocent, youthful eagerness. "Why are we doing positions this way today, sir?"
A few of the older officers snickered, their laughter sounding like dry rustling leaves.
Harry's hand dropped, his cheeks coloring with embarrassment. Mona's jaw tightened. She moved to the front of the group, her fiery red hair a stark contrast to the drab uniforms. She pushed past the older men, muttering under her breath, "Grow the hell up, you shit." They shot her a glare, but none of them said a word. She stood beside Harry, giving him a reassuring smile that he returned with a quick, grateful nod.
"I want to make sure no one wanders off. Everyone stick to your positions; we have a lot to get through today," Mr. Gates said, his gaze lingering on Mona for a moment too long. The look was a calculated warning, and a wave of suspicion washed over her. He was definitely aware he was her main suspect.
"Okay, so let's get to it. Mr. Little and Ms. Kit, you take uptown. Mr. Hatter and Ms. Nash, Baker Street. Mr. Carter and Ms. O'Connor, downtown near the pier..." He continued, but Mona stopped listening.
Her stomach clenched. Downtown near the pier was the furthest assignment from the station, a deliberate attempt to get her as far away as possible. She needed to search his office as soon as possible, before he could get rid of anything. Her eyes darted to his office door, just as he finished his list "That will be all. Everyone, get to work." All the officers saluted before heading toward the door.
Before she could make a move, James Hatter, a handsome officer with a kind smile, fell into step beside her. He nudged her playfully with his elbow. "What's with the scowl, O'Connor? You look like you just found a dead rat in your coffee."
She shot him a dry look. "And you look like you're about to say something dumb, Hatter." he just grinned, putting a hand on her arm. "How about you let me buy you dinner tonight? We could talk about something other than dead rats and work."
She shook her head, her gaze still fixed on Mr. Gates's office door. No way was she about to make plans; she had to look through all the evidence. There was no time to waste sitting around with friends. James's smile faltered, and a look of disappointment crossed his face.
"I'm sorry, James, maybe another time. I'm pretty busy today with a case I'm working on."
He nodded slowly, a small sigh escaping his lips. "I'll hold you to that, O'Connor." He walked away toward his partner, Ms. Nash, who was waiting impatiently by the door. Mona felt a pang of guilt, but she pushed it away. The case was all that mattered.
As the last officers cleared the room, Mona grabbed Harry's arm. "I need you to take my vest and drive downtown. I have something important to do here," she said quickly, her eyes locked with his. Harry looked confused. "Ms. O'Connor, what's happening? Why aren't you coming?"
She shook her head, her voice urgent. "There's no time to explain. The room is clearing out. It's safer you don't know, Harry. If anyone asks, I was with you today just as directed. I need you to trust me on this." He looked at her for a long, tense moment, then nodded. She gave him a small smile and pushed him toward the door. He walked out without looking back, and she hoped his loyalty was genuine.
The moment the room was empty, she saw Chief Gates walk into the bathroom. It was her chance. She sprinted into his office, her heart pounding. The office was all dark mahogany and leather, a stark contrast to the sterile bullpen outside. She softly closed the door behind her and rushed to the desk, her fingers fumbling as she opened drawers. She shifted through stacks of papers and folders, searching for anything out of place. "Come on, where are you hiding it?" she whispered.
Under the desk, a small metal locker caught her eye. She closed the drawers back, making sure everything was in place, before bending to get a closer look. Suddenly, she heard the office door opening. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she dove underneath the desk, her body pressed against the cold metal.
"Listen, I don't give a damn. I better have that money in my account by noon," she heard Mr. Gates say into his phone. "I already feel like my nosy ass lieutenant is on to me... Don't worry, I'm tracking her right now. I literally sent her with a newbie to the edge of town." His laugh was a cold, hollow sound.
Mona's hands trembled.
She wished she had her phone to record this, but she hadn't risked bringing it. Then came the words that made her blood run cold. "You're damn lucky I'm helping you guys and even luckier money talks. I wouldn't have been helping you cover all this for so long... killing all those girls over the years... That's right, I made their files disappear."
Mona clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp, bile rising in her throat. Her ears were ringing with the sound of his callous laughter. How many girls? For how long had he been helping a murderer?
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm going into retirement a rich man next year, and I'll be done with all this shit. Don't know what you'll do then, but that's your problem," he laughed loudly, sitting on the corner of his desk. He stood up, moving back toward the door. "That bastard hung up on me! After all I've done for his ass! I'm too old for this shit," he grumbled, opening the door and slamming it behind him.
Mona stayed frozen for a moment, the silence deafening. She had to snap out of it; he could be back at any moment. She gave her head a shake and finally let out a breath, her gaze falling back on the locker. She had no clue what the code could be.
"Please, luck of the Irish, help me out here," she whispered, her fingers shaking as she typed five random numbers into the keypad. She placed her hand on the handle and gave it a pull. It slid open with a soft click, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "No fuckin' way," she muttered. There, in the middle of the locker, was the missing pair to the black leather glove. Licking her lips, she snatched it, shoving it into her pocket before closing the locker and climbing out from under the desk.
She moved to his computer. It had a password lock. She typed the same five numbers as the locker, and the home screen popped on. "Eejit," she whispered. The screen showed a picture of the Chief and a woman hugging. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but your husband is a cunt... I'm gonna take him down," she said, her fingers flying across the keyboard. In his bank account, she saw large sums of money, millions of dollars, sporadically dating back for the last few years. She quickly printed out the papers, her hands barely steady, and stuffed them inside her jacket.
She made sure everything was back in its place before making her way to the door. Suddenly, the office door began to open. Her eyes widened, and she looked around wildly for a hiding spot. The window was her only option. She threw it open, the fresh air a shocking relief, and scrambled out, hanging onto the windowsill for dear life.
"That fucking guy thinks he controls the world," she heard him say to himself as he entered the room. She let out a shaky breath, looking down at the ground just a few feet below. Her fingers started to lose their strength.
"I don't remember opening that window," he whispered. Her heart dropped. She heard his footsteps approaching. She looked down one last time, closed her eyes tightly, and let go, falling with a hard thud into a bush below.
"Fuck," she groaned, the thorny branches scraping her skin as a sharp pain shot through her shoulder. She rolled deeper into the bush, rubbing her aching arm. Through the thick green leaves, she saw him come to the window, look around for a moment, and then close it.
After a few minutes, she checked that the coast was clear before climbing out, holding her hurt shoulder and glaring up at the window. This was it. This was the nail in the coffin for the Chief. She just needed to get home, tend to her shoulder, and look over all the items more closely.
Mia note- Loved writing this chap. Who doesn't love a good spy moment
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